Amy Williams
President & CEO
Amy Williams has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Savannah Philharmonic since 2020, leading a comprehensive transformation that has strengthened the organization artistically, financially, and within the community. In close partnership with Music and Artistic Director Keitaro Harada and the Board of Directors, she has strengthened the Philharmonic’s financial foundation, modernized its infrastructure, and positioned the organization for its next chapter, which includes the renovation of Savannah’s city-owned concert hall and an upcoming artistic leadership transition.
Through a disciplined subscription strategy, focused audience development, and strengthened marketing and communications, Ms. Williams rebuilt the Savannah Philharmonic’s earned revenue base. Today, approximately 80% of tickets are sold through subscriptions, reflecting renewed patron trust and commitment. Under her leadership, the Philharmonic’s annual operating budget grew from less than $900,000 to approximately $2 million; she launched and completed a transformational $2 million Innovation Fund Campaign; the organization instituted its first comprehensive strategic plan; and governance policies and bylaws were modernized. She also built productive relationships with city administration and elected officials to advance long-term facility and infrastructure goals.
A recognized bridge builder, Williams aligns artistic ambition with institutional sustainability, bringing musicians, staff, board leaders, civic partners, and community
stakeholders into shared strategic focus. She guided the Philharmonic through the COVID-19 pandemic and into renewed growth, increasing new ticket buyers by more than 60 percent and expanding the donor base through best-practice development systems and integrated organizational storytelling.
Her commitment to community engagement is exemplified by Phil the Neighborhoods, an innovative pop-up concert initiative that brings Philharmonic musicians into communities across Savannah. The program has expanded first-time audience participation, strengthened relationships in historically underserved neighborhoods, and supported music education programs throughout the city, broadening the Philharmonic’s civic presence.
Williams also founded the Savannah Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, creating a pathway for young musicians, regardless of family income, to receive instruments and private instruction. The program advances equitable access to high-quality music training while deepening the Philharmonic’s connection to the next generation of musicians and audiences.
From 2018 – 2020, Williams served as Managing Director of Camerata Pacifica,
helping stabilize and prepare the organization for long-term sustainability during a period of growth and transition. In partnership with the Artistic Director/Founder and Board, she strengthened governance, expanded contributed and earned revenue, revitalized planned giving, and achieved record ticket sales and grant support.
Earlier, she held senior artistic, education, and administrative roles with the Santa Barbara Symphony (2011 – 2018) and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (2007 – 2011). At the
Santa Barbara Symphony, she built and led a comprehensive Music Education Center serving thousands of students annually, managed unionized musicians within collective bargaining agreements, and collaborated across artistic, development, and marketing functions to align programming with community needs.
A classically trained bassoonist, Williams spent many years as a freelance musician in
the Columbus, Ohio region, regularly traveling to orchestras within a two-hour radius while balancing teaching appointments at The Ohio State University and Tiffin University. Her firsthand experience of the logistical pressures and economic realities facing working musicians informs her leadership approach today. She prioritizes clarity of institutional purpose, service schedules that respect musicians’ professional lives, and conditions that enable artistic excellence. Early in her tenure at the Savannah Philharmonic, this perspective led to restructuring the service week into a more efficient rehearsal model that reduced lost teaching and freelance income for the orchestra’s musicians while strengthening artistic focus.
Williams holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from The Ohio State University, a Master of Music from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and a Bachelor of Music, cum laude, from Ithaca College. She has served as a board member of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras and remains active in national service organizations within the orchestral field.
